


Payback

by Singerme



Category: Gunsmoke
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-25
Updated: 2014-10-25
Packaged: 2018-02-22 13:53:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 18,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2510126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Singerme/pseuds/Singerme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When someone Matt cares about is hurt, he goes after Payback.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Payback**

I don't own these characters. I just like to spend time with them. No other profit to be had.

**(*(*(*(*(*(*(*(*(*(**XOXO**)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)*)**

(SET IN SEASON 10)

Matt sat by the small crackling fire, he had going, and stared vacantly into the dancing flames. The bitter coffee he was drinking had gone cold in his hands but he hadn't noticed. His mind wasn't really on the acrid brew or the fire or the cold silent woods that surrounded him. His mind was back in Dodge, his gaze still fixed on the dead woman, lying in the street in front of the Long Branch.

He kept hearing her voice screaming his name, as she fell in front of the bullet meant for him and the one he'd meant for another. Over and over again, he saw her stumble and slip lifelessly to the ground, while the man that pushed her, made his escape.

He tried closing his eyes and placing his hands over his ears but the terrible sights and sounds were still there. Though those events had taken place a month prior, they were still sharp and clear in his senses. Ever haunting him, tormenting him.

Tossing the rest of the liquid in his cup, he settled back against his saddle and wearily closed his eyes, hoping for, if not sleep, at least a modicum of rest. Tomorrow he had another long day ahead of him. He still had to find the man that had forced him to kill the one person he wanted least to hurt.

(*(*(*(*(**XO**)*)*)*)*)

A month prior

"You know, Cowboy," Kitty grinned over at Matt, "it being so quiet in town this time of year, I just may have to close down early tonight."

Matt looked over at the teasing light in her eyes and returned the grin. "Yeah?"

Kitty nodded. "Um huh. Either that or at least let Sam take over for the night and I just go on up early. Of course, I sure would hate to have to do that alone. And with it being so hot and all…" She tilted her head as she regarded his increasingly flushed face. "Well, you know, there's just no telling what I might do."

Matt swallowed hard thinking about what she might do. "Tell ya what, Kitty." He licked his lips. "Let me see if I can get Festus to take evening rounds tonight and I'll come back in a little bit and uh… oh, tuck you in or something."

Kitty sat back and giggled. "I like the idea of 'or something' better." She arched a brow at him as he swiftly got to his feet.

"Well, we'll just see about that then." He smiled down at her. "I'll go find Festus now and get a couple of things taken care of at the office and then come back later."

"I'll be here." She replied.

Matt topped his head with his hat and turned for the door. "See ya later, Kitty."

Kitty was still grinning when Sam interrupted her thoughts by calling her to the bar. Shaking her head, Kitty got up from the table and headed for the bar just when she heard raised voices coming from the street.

"Just a minute, Sam." She waved a hand at her bartender and stepped over to the door and looked out. Her eyes widened and her throat constricted when she saw what was about to take place outside.

After leaving the bar room, Matt had just pushed outside through the swinging doors when he heard his name called. Turning, he saw a black coated man standing down the street, his coat pushed back behind his gun and his hand hovering over its wooden grip as he faced the lawman. "Dillon!" He called loudly, forcefully. "I've come to kill you!"

Matt took a deep breath and shook his head, stepping out into the street and away from the saloon and people. "Who are you?" He demanded to know when he was sure; no one could be hurt by a stray bullet. "What do you want with me?"

"My names, Dunn." The man sneered. "And I told ya. I come to kill ya!"

As Matt and the stranger named Dunn sized each other up, Kitty gasped and pushed through doors out onto the boardwalk moving down near the alley, closer to where Matt stood out in the street. Her heart was pounding furiously and her mouth had gone dry at the thought of what could happen.

She didn't call Matt's name or anything else that could attract his attention. She knew he needed to stay focused solely on the stranger at the end of the street. But she couldn't help taking a step closer to where he stood. She never saw the man that had silently and invisibly moved to a position just behind her.

The next few minutes were tense ones for several people standing there. Matt and the fierce looking man who called himself Dunn were staring intently at each other, each looking to discover the other's weakness. Doc stood at the bottom of his steps, silently praying that one more time the big lawman's famed fast draw would hold sway against another bandit.

Festus, who'd heard the man calling for Matthew, was standing down near the stable, his gun drawn, prepared to take care of the bandit should he prevail. He'd only been in town about a year or so and was really beginning to like it and the people in it. If anyone tried to hurt one of those people, he had every intention of hurting them.

A large number of Dodge City's citizens stood silently on the boardwalks on both sides of the streets, watching the men as they prepared to duel. As all eyes, including Kitty's, were turned in their direction, no one saw the other stranger in town take a step closer to her.

"Dunn, I'm going to ask you one last time." Matt yelled down to his opponent. "What do you want with me? What's this all about?"

"It's about you." Dunn smirked. "A fella paid me a sizeable amount of money to put you under and I aim to earn my keep. Besides, I've always wanted to prove that you're nothing like every one thinks."

"Who?" Matt demanded. He hoped that if he kept this man talking he could find a way to stop him without gun play. "Who hired you?"

For just a split second, Dunn's eyes shifted to the right before settling once again on the form of the big lawman. Matt saw it but his focus never moved off of the man. Instead, he watched him even closer. "Who hired you?" He asked again.

Again the man's eyes shifted for just a blink as his fingers twitched and his hand started for his gun. Matt hesitated for just a second, allowing the man to draw first, before he pulled his own gun and fired. He never saw the man, who was standing behind Kitty, suddenly lunge forward and push her as hard as he could, forward into the path of both the bullets.

The whole world, it seemed, suddenly came to a complete halt as the stunned red head looked down at the blood suddenly blossoming on her blouse and the pain she suddenly felt. Raising her eyes, she frowned as she looked over at Matt as he stood there in horror, his smoking gun still in his hand. "Mat…" She managed before the lights dimmed and she fell senseless to the ground.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Matt stood stunned but for only a second. Instantly, he ripped his gaze from Kitty and back to Dunn. He was still standing and his gun was still out, his finger hard on the trigger.

"Dillon!" He screamed as he pointed the gun directly at Matt's chest and began to squeeze the trigger.

But even in his dazed condition, Matt was still the better and faster man and in an instant, Dunn went down with a bullet in his chest. Matt gave him no further attention as he swiftly holstered his gun and ran over to Kitty. Doc had just arrived at her side and had gently taken her wrist to check her pulse. "Doc?" Matt swallowed hard.

"Get her upstairs, Matt." Doc said solemnly. "Hurry."

Matt reached down and gingerly pulled her into his arms, trying hard not to add hurt to the damage that was already done. Getting quickly back to his feet, he practically ran down to Doc's stairs, her slight weight not even registering to him in his desire to get up to the office so Doc could help her.

The following few hours were anxious and puzzling ones for the mighty, yet grief and gulit stricken US Marshal as he waited for Doc to give him some word of Kitty's condition and tried to figure out how and why she ended up in the middle of a gunfight. He knew she loved him and would do anything to protect him. But would she run in front of a bullet to save him?

Answers finally came but they held no comfort.

"Matthew!" Festus urgently called as he hastily made his way down the street to where Matt sat at the bottom of the Doc's stairs. Doc had thrown him out of his office while he operated on Kitty. "How's Miz Kitty?"

"I don't know yet." Matt asked. "You get Dunn taken care of?"

Festus nodded. "Yeah, he's over ta Percy's. He had five hundred dollars in his pocket. I had Sam lock it up in Miz Kitty's safe."

Matt nodded but didn't answer. He didn't care how much money the dead gunman had. The only thing he cared about right then was up in Doc's office, fighting for her life.

Festus understood but he had an idea what he had to tell Matthew next would matter. "Matthew, ya need to look at this here poster." Festus shoved a curling piece of paper under his nose.

Matt frowned as he took the poster from Festus' hand and looked down at the image of Dolph Payback, bank robber and murderer. "Payback?" He looked up at Festus. "What's he got to do with anything?"

"He's the feller what pushed Miz Kitty inta the street." Festus answered him. "Leastways, he looks a powerful lot like him."

"How'd you figure this out?" Matt asked.

"Harry Tillman." Festus answered as though the answer was simple. "He heard all the rookus whilst you was a facing down that Dunn feller and come a running. He got there jes as you all fired and saw this feller, or someone what shore looks like him, push Miz Kitty inta the street in front of ya. I took him over ta the jail house and had him look at them posters ya got and he picked this here feller out. Don't ya see?"

Matt looked back down at the poster with a grim nod of his head. "Yeah, Festus, I see. And this makes sense."

"Ya know that feller, do ya?" Festus squinted an eye at him before looking up at Doc's still closed door.

"Yeah, I know him." Matt answered. "I killed his little brother in a bank holdup a few years ago." Matt looked at Festus, noticing the direction he was looking in. "Doc's still operating on her, Festus. He said he'd call me if... when... He'll call me." His tone was sad and practically defeated.

"Oh." Festus sighed.

Just then the door to Doc's office opened and Doc stepped out onto the landing.

Matt looked up at Doc's grim and saddened face and his heart fell. He took two steps up and then stopped, not sure he could go any further if… "Doc?"

"She's alive, Matt." Doc answered. "But she's in pretty bad shape."

Matt finished the climb to the top and pushed past Doc and into the office. Kitty was lying on the exam table, her ghostly pale complexion barely darker than the white sheet covering her. Her breathing was so shallow that he could barely make out the slight rise and fall of the cover on her chest.

Reaching down, he took her hand and brought it to his lips for a sweet and tender kiss before looking over at Doc as he shuffled over to his side. "Bad or not." Matt locked eyes with the elderly physician. "She going to make it?"

Doc took a scrub of his mustache, stuffed his hands in his pockets and turned away. "I don't know, Matt." He shrugged slightly. "The bullet hit her in the chest, and though it missed her vital organs, it did tear her up pretty bad. The one in the back did less damage but it wasn't good. She's lost a lot of blood. She's pretty weak." He took a deep breath. "I just don't know."

Matt nodded and heedless of Doc's presence, bent down and placed a kiss on her lips. Dolph Payback. The name reverberated in his head like a gong. He was the man who had pushed her into Matt's bullet and Matt wanted him. Bad.

Finally placing her hand back down, he gave her one more glance and then turned for the door. "Do the best you can, Doc." He sighed.

Doc nodded then frowned at the lawman as he headed for the door. "Well, just where are you going?"

"I'm going to find the man that made me kill her." Matt answered as he headed for the door.

"But, Matt, you didn't kill her." Doc protested. "She's not dead. Besides, you weren't the only one that shot her."

Matt turned hooded eyes on Doc, his gaze softenly only for a split second when he glanced at Kitty. "Doesn't matter, Doc." He pulled his hat down a little lower on his forehead and opened the door. "Nothing much matters anymore, other than getting Payback."

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Days passed. Days that were trying as well gratifying for the one and only physician in Dodge City, Kansas and for a hundred miles around. Despite his conviction that she would perish, his patient was getting better. Each day brought with it a small improvement in health for the redoubtable red head.

But that was tempered by the fact that the tall lawman who loved her was gone. The day Kitty was shot, Festus had found tracks of a horse leading from the back of the saloon and heading south. With little else to go on, both he and Matt mounted up and took off, following them.

Festus had finally returned 4 days later. Ruth had developed a bruised tendon that made travel on him impossible. And although he vowed to get another mount and keep going, Matt had sent him home and continued on alone.

Doc had finally gotten a wire from Matt but it was of little comfort. It was from a small town in New Mexico and it said simply, "Have tended resignation. Won't return until I get pay back."

Doc knew what that meant. He was going to find Dolph Payback no matter how far he had to go or how long it took. What he would do once he did find him, was beyond speculation. Without that badge on his chest, Matt didn't feel compelled to abide by it. And thinking Kitty dead, Matt didn't care what would happen to him.

That knowledge was frightening for both the physician and his patient. The woman that loved him was, despite her improving health, beginning to despair.

Festus, upon hearing the name mentioned in the wire, declared he would get another mount and head out 'directly' to find Matt and bring him home. But that plan was quickly abandoned when that very night, he got hurt trying to break up a bar fight. He wouldn't be crippled, Doc told him, but he wouldn't be able to sit a horse or much else for quite a while.

A week after being shot, Kitty had insisted on returning to her home over the Long Branch. But Doc had refused to allow it. He was afraid that without him to be there, constantly trying to keep her focused on her own health, rather than the missing Marshal, her progress would be halted and even reduced.

But as noted, Doc was the only physician within a hundred miles around and the better Kitty got, the harder it was to refuse to leave her in order to attend to other patients who also needed his attention. Finally the day arrived, 16 days afterward, when he was forced to leave her alone. Tet Riley had rushed into town and up to Doc's office, pounding furiously on the door, begging Doc to come as he was positive his wife was about to have their first child.

"Go on, Doc." Kitty urged him. "I am fine and you know it. But this is Janet's first baby and she needs you."

"Hmpf" Doc grunted knowing she was right. Scrubbing his mustache, he grabbed his bag, made sure it contained all that he would need and stepped to the hall tree and claimed his hat and coat. But before he left, he looked back over at Kitty who was reclining on a cot in the front room. "Don't do anything, Kitty." He warned her. "You're still not completely well."

"I'll be fine, Doc." She sighed. "Go."

That wasn't the answer he wanted but he had no more time to wait for it. With a shake of his head and an extra "Hrumph" he turned and left, following Tet out and down to his wagon.

Once Doc, was gone, Kitty got up carefully from the cot and slowly made her way over to the window and looked out, watching Doc climb up on Tet's wagon and sit back as Tet drove them out of town.

Letting out a relieved breath, Kitty made her way into Doc's back bedroom and claimed a bag she had hidden under the bed. On one of Jenny's visits to see her, Kitty had given her a list of things she had wanted her to bring the next time she came. Those items, clothes, makeup and shoes, were in that bag.

Quickly as she could, Kitty got herself dressed, putting on just a light application of makeup. Her hair, she left down. It was still difficult to raise her hands above her head as it pulled on the still healing flesh. Putting her shoes on wasn't any easier, but she finally managed it. Putting her makeup and night clothes and robe back into the bag, Kitty picked it up and turned for the door.

She was going back to her rooms, whether Doc liked it or not. She had lain in Doc's office day after day, worried about Matt and fretting about the fact that she hadn't heard from him. Knowing she'd never stop worrying about him. At least at the Long Branch she would have her business to partially occupy her time and attention and hopefully keep her from going completely crazy.

It worked fairly well during the day, but at night, fears and frets tormented her and made getting the rest Doc insisted on, hard to get. That day, a desperate plan formed in her worried mind and she knew what she had to do.

She needed to find Matt.

She needed him to know that she was alive and she needed to know that he was alright. Of course the fly in that ointment was that she didn't know where he was. Since that one telegraph, they hadn't heard from him.

But then, 6 weeks later, they did. At least they heard OF him. Doc received another wire. But it wasn't from Matt. It was from a Sherriff down in Texas, a friend of Matt's. Doc had sent out wires all across the frontier asking for any information he could get on Matt. He finally got some. Though the words were sparse, they were worrisome.

"Matt Dillon was here. On his way to Spring Hill. Looking for pay back"

Doc and Kitty both knew what that meant. He'd most likely found Dolph Payback and was on his way there to either kill or get killed.

Kitty knew what she had to do and where she had to go.

"Sam." Kitty called stepping around the bar and heading for the stairs. "Keep an eye on things down here for a while, will you? I've got a few things to take care of."

"Yes, Ma'am." Sam answered.

As quickly as she could, Kitty climbed to her rooms and went straight to her closet. Reaching in, she made a slight face at the twinge of pain she felt when she bent over. Though it'd been almost two months since she'd been shot, she was still a bit sore. Grabbing a well-worn carpet bag from the floor, she brought it out, placing it on the end of her bed.

Going back to her wardrobe, she pushed away the many dresses of every color and design and reached way into the back, pulling out two pairs of jeans and three well worn but serviceable shirts. Stuffing the jeans and shirts into her bag, Kitty added socks and boots and a couple of flasks of whiskey. She added only one dress, a green satin one guaranteed to take any man's mind off of anything, if need be.

She was about to close the bag, when she thought of a few more things she wanted with her. Opening the top dresser drawer, she pulled out a derringer, one Matt had given her for protection and threw it into her bag along with a box of ammunition.

Pulling out the bottom drawer, she removed two shirts, one a bugger red and one blue and placed them inside as well. They were Matt's. She had no idea if she'd be able to find him or if she did, that he would need them, but if he didn't, she thought she would. For comfort, if nothing else.

Nodding to herself, satisfied with what she'd done, Kitty glanced around her room and grabbed her bag. She was going to go down to the stage office and purchase a ticket to Sprinh HIll, Texas. Once there, she would go about the task of finding Matt.

As she reached her door, her eyes landed on a picture of her cowboy, taken several years ago when a murdering photographer had come to town. Kitty sat the bag down, picked up the picture and put it in her bag.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Luck, or something akin to it was with Kitty Russell when she took the back stairs down to the alley behind. Absolutely no one was around. Hiding her bag behind a stack of crates, she quickly made her way down the alley to Front Street and then down to the stage office. She purchased a ticket for the stage leaving south at midnight.

Retracing her steps, Kitty went back to the Long Branch and slipped into her office from the back. She had no idea how long she would be gone or if she'd even make it back so she needed to make some arrangements. Sitting down at her desk, she took out several pieces of paper and paused.

Finally, with a nod of her head, she began to write. When she finished, she sat back and rubbed her neck. She had written a letter to Sam with instructions of what needed to be done while she was gone. She knew she could trust him to take care of things.

She'd also drafted a will leaving everything she had to Matt, should he survive her, with considerations to Doc, Sam and Festus. Failing that, her earthly possessions would go to the remaining three. She had no other family. After the paperwork was done, Kitty placed it into an envelope and wrote Sam's name on the front.

Glancing at the clock above her desk, she saw that she had about 6 hours before the stage left. She had still not returned to full strength and she still tired easily and recognized the need for rest. Wearily, she got up from her desk, stepped to her safe and opened it, taking out cash and placing it into her reticule before turning and leaving her office. Sam had his back turned and didn't see her as she slipped an envelope into the cash box and then headed for the stairs.

Once in her room, she stepped over to her bed and lay down, resting her head on the pillow Matt had always used. She wanted to catch at least a couple of hours sleep before she left. Heaven only knew when she'd get any real rest after she climbed on that stage. But as she laid there and closed her eyes, it wasn't sleep that came to her.

Instead, images of a tall man with sky blue eyes and a hole in his chest tormented her. What would she do, she wondered, if she couldn't find Matt, or God forbid, did find him and he was dead? Rolling over, she buried her head in Matt's pillow and forced herself to remember the last time they had been together, here in this bed. The last time they had made love over two months prior.

It was only with that thought she was finally able to drift off and find some peace in a couple hours of sleep.

Many miles south, Matt lay on a hard, lumpy and altogether too short cot in Spring Hill's attempt at a jail. Basically a small brick building with a window and door in front, a window in back and a small cell in the corner opposite the Sherriff's desk.

He had been thrown in there for attempted murder and was being held until the circuit judge came around again to hear his case. After weeks of tracking, Matt had finally found where Payback was. He had been safely ensconced in his home territory near Spring Hill and was making no effort what so ever to hide and had even been heard to brag about how he'd made the Kansas lawman pay for killing his little brother.

Matt was infuriated. He wanted to pull his gun and shoot the man where he stood when he'd seen him strolling down the street towards the saloon. But instead, another thought. Not a gunfight. That would've been too easy. No he wanted to pummel the insolent braggart to within an inch of his life and make him to know pain. The same kind of pain Matt had felt when he saw Kitty hitting the ground, her life's blood slowly seeping out of her.

But the part of him, that was still all badge, rejected it. No matter how badly he wanted to kill Payback, he needed to arrest him instead. For two days, Matt invisibly followed the bandit around, trying to find the best place to take him.

His chance came in the evening. Payback had spent a considerable amount of time in the saloon and was headed down dark streets to the livery to claim his horse and head to his father's ranch, east of town. Matt surveyed the area all around and saw no one. This was his chance he realized, perhaps his only chance to take the man in without either one of them getting killed.

Silently, he followed the insolent murderer to the livery, pausing only long enough to once against test the air. He still saw and heard nothing. Quickly, he drew his gun. "Hold it!" He demanded.

Payback, who suddenly didn't seem to be nearly as drunk as a few minutes before turned to face him with a grin on his face. "Well, if it ain't Marshal Dillon?" Dolph taunted. "What you want, Dillon? Gonna make me pay for you killin' your woman? You should be thanking me. She wasn't nothing but a…"

It was the only match needed to ignite the smoldering fire Matt had been keeping tamped down. Enraged, he charged the man and grappled him to the ground, losing his gun in the process. Pulling him up by the shirt, Matt slammed his fist into the man's face, not once or twice by three times and he raised his arm for another swing.

But suddenly, a yell came from behind him. "Stop! Let that man go. Stop, I say!"

Matt drew in a breath and glanced behind him. The Sherriff of this little hamlet was making his way towards the two men with his gun in his hand and pointed squarely at Matt's head. Matt's arm was still poised to strike but he remained still when the Sherriff reached him, cocked his gun and laid it against Matt's scalp.

"Don't wanna shoot ya, big man, but I will." He said.

Though he later wondered why he didn't go ahead and let the Sherriff shoot, Matt finally released the unconscious man in his hands and stood up and back from the bandit, allowing the Sherriff to take him into custody.

Having taken his badge off and stowed it in his saddlebags, Matt didn't have that to help explain his actions. Of course, he knew even if had of, it wouldn't have helped matters much. Texans didn't have the highest respect for Kansas law.

Especially when the Kansas law was found pummeling a member of one of the town's most influential families, instead of arresting him.

So Matt lay solemnly on his cot, waiting and yet not caring about whatever came next. If Kitty was dead, as he feared and believed, he didn't really care what happened to him. "Kitty" he thought as he stared up at the ceiling.

Hundreds of miles away, Kitty Russell sat up in bed with a start. She'd heard her name called as clear as a bell. But there was no one in the room. No one. Taking a shaky breath, she swiftly lit the lamp next to her bed and looked at the clock on her fireplace mantle. It was 11:15. She had just enough time to get dressed and down to the stage office.

The voice, whoever it belonged to, it had gotten her up just in time to take a journey to find the man she loved.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Deciding on comfort and safety in her clothing choice, Kitty grabbed a pair of jeans and donned them for her journey south. Topping off her outfit, she put on an old shirt she usually only wore when going fishing. She wasn't sure she could stand to wear her regular clothes for the stage. They were too tight and binding.

Taking one last look in her mirror, she grabbed a jacket and left her room, not knowing when or if she'd ever return to it.

She made it down to the station with just minutes to spare. Though the stage driver gave her a curious look, he was never the less polite as he helped her onto the stage and stowed her bag up top. The money, Kitty had brought with her, was securely tucked away in the jacket she wore. Other than the few items in her carpet bag, she'd left everything behind that identified her as Kitty Russell, queen of the Long Branch.

As she settled back in the seat, Kitty's mind traveled south faster than the stage ever would. Matt was down there and she wanted to find him. No, if she were honest, she NEEDED to find him. And no matter what it took or how long, that was what she planned on doing. She was going to find Matt Dillon, come hell or high water.

High water came first.

The stage out of Dodge traveled for four days and nights, stopping sporadically at various way stations for new horses and once to spend the night when it was deemed too hazardous to travel after dark. Kitty had managed to keep to herself for most of the way.

Only one man, who'd gotten on at their first stop, had looked past her clothing and lack of makeup and had noticed the beautiful woman underneath, and tried to make a play for her. However, one glare from Kitty and he decided it was better to leave her alone. He, fortunately, had gotten off at the next stop. If anyone else noticed her especially, they were wise enough to keep it to themselves.

Kitty didn't want attention. She wanted to get to Texas and find Matt. But she was wise enough to know that a woman alone, traveling cross country, needed to be cautious. She still had the derringer, now in her jacket pocket but she'd also placed a cold handgun in her carpet bag, just in case.

The fourth day of travel brought with it a number of changes. None of them good. In order to get to Spring Hill, Kitty had to change stage coaches and board one heading southeast, as the one she had been one would be heading southwest from there on.

The change in directions brought with it a new driver as well as new fellow passengers. A tall man with brown hair, a small little mustache which barely covered his upper lip, brown clothes and protruding brown eyes. He was traveling with an equally somberly attired lady and neither one looked too happy to be there.

The other passenger, shorter, with short blonde hair, bushy eyebrows and a prominent Adam's apple complained from the moment he climbed on the stage about everything and everyone, but as the miles passed and he got no response to his grumbles, he finally quietened down and stared out of the window at the rain.

A lot of rain. But not just rain. Though they were headed south, it seemed the temperatures were dropping and the rain turned into sleet which turned the roads into a treacherous ribbon of icy mud that the driver finally declared he couldn't traverse after three days on the road.

"Sorry. Folks." He shook his head regretfully when they'd trudged through frozen mud into the way station they managed to finally get to. "That roads too bad to walk on, much less try to drive on. They ain't nothing twixt here and the next town which is 20 miles away, exceptin' a pretty deep river. We get off the road or something, or if that river's a flooding, we'd be in a fix."

"And the next town is?" Mr. Brown coat asked.

"Just over the border of Texas." The driver told him. "Town called Spring Hill."

Kitty's heart pounded furiously at that information. Just where she wanted to go. "About how long do you think we'll be delayed?" She asked, not wanting to tarry if it could be helped.

"Ain't sure, ma'am." He answered with a shrug. "Down here in Indian territory the weather ain't predictable. It could be all cold and nasty today and sunny and warm tomorrow. Just have to wait out the night and see what tomorra holds."

"Well, what if the weather's better but the river's flooded?" One of the other passengers, the man with the bulging Adam's apple, asked. "I have business south of here and I can't afford to wait for too long."

"I understand that, Mister." The driver gave him a brief glare. "But I also understand they ain't nothing I can do about that. Now, in the morning, I'll take a horse and ride out a ways and see how it looks. If it's passable, I'll come back and we'll be on the road afore morning's done. If it ain't, we stay here till it is."

The man looked like he wanted to protest further but clamped his mouth shut when the driver's glare not only returned but intensified. Raking a hand through his blonde head in exasperation, he stomped over to the fireplace and slumped down in a chair.

The driver shook his head at him in exasperation as he walked away. He sure didn't like whiney little men like that.  
The gray haired station master appeared at Kitty's side just then with her bag and another in his grasp. "They's a small room in the back, Ma'am. I'll take you and the other lady's bags back there. The men'll share tuther room." He pointed to two doors on the other side of the house.

Kitty gave him a grateful smile but shook her head. "Thank you but why don't you let that lady and her husband have it so they won't have to sleep separately. I'll be fine on a pallet by the fire."

The man looked like she'd lost her mind. "By the fire, Ma'am? Ya cain't sleep on the floor. Wouldn't be proper."

"Nonsense." Kitty answered. "I've slept on the floor before. Besides, I'm an early riser. I'll be up before everyone else and I don't want to disturb anyone."

"Well, then ya kin have tuther room." He sighed. "The men'll sleep out here."

"No," Kitty repeated. "Honestly, I'll be just fine by the fire. Now please. I insist."

"Ya sure?" He questioned one last time.

Kitty nodded. "Um, hum. I'm sure. I'll be fine." Kitty didn't want to share a room with the other woman. She wanted to be alone, or at least as much as she could be in order to think about her plans and what she would do if the stage actually couldn't get through. Besides, sleeping by the fire was warmer than either of those rooms would be. And without Matt, it was hard enough to keep warm.

"Suit yerself." He shrugged as he sat her bag down and headed off to the back with the other woman's things.

Kitty watched him go and shook her head. "Suit yourself." He'd said. That was exactly what she planned to do.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Matt sat morosely in his cell, bereft of warmth, comfort or heart. The judge would be there, day after tomorrow, he'd been told. And the Sherriff gave Matt no reason to hope for less than at least a lengthy jail sentence.

Though Payback hadn't been permanently injured, despite Matt's best efforts, he had been pretty badly hurt and it would be sometime before he'd be able to look out of his left eye and see clearly or breath as easily out of his broken nose. Of course, he still wasn't hurt as badly as he put on or as badly as Matt had wanted to hurt him. But he made himself appear pitiful enough to ensure Matt's demise.

Lying back on his hard, lumpy cot, Matt sighed deeply and sadly. He wouldn't have minded the thought of going to prison if it came with the knowledge that Dolph Payback would either be there with him or buried six feet under. But it looked like he alone would pay for what had happened to Kitty. 'Well,' he thought, 'maybe that's the way it should be.'

Of course, he knew, there was a possibility that she hadn't died. He'd left Dodge so quickly, so intent on finding the murdering bastard who'd pushed her, that he hadn't stayed to see. And he did consider Doc to be one of the best physicians in the country. He knew if anyone could've saved her, Doc could. But he remembered the paleness of Kitty's face and the so slight rise and fall of her chest and the blood that had covered her and he couldn't imagine she would've survived. He'd seen dead men who'd looked better than she had.

But then again, there was that tiny little nagging feeling in the back of his heart, that he'd know for sure if she was dead and it wasn't there. He knew he could've wired Doc and asked, but he hadn't found it within himself to do so. He was afraid of actually seeing the words of paper. Afraid they'd make more it real than it already was.

Besides, he knew in his heart, dead or alive, he wouldn't have delayed going after Payback. It wouldn't have mattered. Payback had forced him to hurt the one person he loved beyond reason and whether she died or not, he couldn't have stayed in Dodge and let him get away. His role as both law man and Kitty's man, demanded that he go after him.

As he lay there, Matt considered how ironic it was that he'd refused to marry her, or even claim her because he didn't want to leave a widow behind to grieve for him and he didn't want her hurt or possibly killed for an association with him. With a grim smile, he realized, he had been the one left behind to grieve and, if he was right, she had been killed regardless.

Life certainly hadn't been fair to Kitty Russell, or him, the way he figured it.

As she lay staring at the fire next to her, Kitty thought otherwise. Yes, in some ways she'd had more than her share of heartaches and problems but they had been balanced out by the home and friends and love she had found in Dodge City. On the whole, she considered herself to be very lucky.

As she closed her eyes at last and began to succumb to her exhaustion, she understood that in the coming days, she was going to need that luck in order to get to Spring Hill and find Matt.

The next morning dawned early and cold. Getting up from her pallet, Kitty rose stiff, sore and slowly. But she gave no indication of it to her fellow travelers. In a wild place with strangers surrounding her, she had no intentions of showing any sort of weakness to anyone.

Not that anyone would notice, though. None of the others had emerged from their rooms so far. For that she was grateful. It would give her time to change her clothes before they all got up.

Placing a couple more logs on the fire, Kitty grabbed her bag and reached in for a fresh shirt. She'd worn this one for the last two days and the one before that for three. She was trying to conserve what little clothing she'd brought with her but still, she couldn't take her grimy shirt and jeans any longer.

Keeping an ear tuned to the two bedrooms for any noise to indicate the others were up, Kitty swiftly changed her clothes.

She'd just finished and had stepped over to the stove to make coffee when one of the bedroom doors opened and the station master shuffled in. With gray hair sticking up in different directions and his suspenders half way down his arms, he didn't look quite ready to greet the day but he straightened up when he saw Kitty at the stove.

"Morning, Ma'am." He smiled at her as he made an attempt to pat his hair down and pull his suspenders up. Even dressed in jeans and a worn shirt, the woman was pretty. And although, he knew, she'd have no interest in him, he still wanted to look decent in front of her.

"Good morning." Kitty returned the greeting. "Thought I'd go ahead and get some coffee made."

"Ah, you ain't got to do that." He protested. "You're a paying passenger. I'm posta to be doing that."

Kitty smiled but shook her. "I don't mind. Besides, while I'm doing that, you can hopefully get some wood. There doesn't appear to be too much here."

"Alright." He happily agreed.

By the time the others had gotten up and came into the main room, Kitty and the station master, a widower named Alfred Sutton, had not only made breakfast but made friends as well. While they worked together, Alfred told Kitty about living there alone after his wife had died as Kitty listened with a warm gaze and a friendly smile.

"You got folks where you're a going?" Alfred had asked her when she had lapsed into silence.

Kitty nodded thoughtfully. "I think so." She answered. "Or at least I hope so."

"He must be awful special to ya." Alfred had noticed the look on her face.

Kitty nodded again. "He is and it's awfully important that I get there as soon as possible or I could lose him."

Alfred asked no more questions. The sadness in the red head's voice was palpable and he wished like anything, he could help her get there.

That turned out to be a good thing for the worried woman a couple of hours later when the stage driver, having ridden out to check, returned with the news that the road was still impassible to the stage.

"How long before we can get through?" Mr. Adam's apple asked. He never gave his real name and no one seemed to want to know enough to ask.

"Least another day." The driver, Carl, answered. "The rain's stopped right enough and the sun's out but it's gonna take some time for the road to be dry enough to be able support the weight of the stage."

"Could a horse get over it?" Kitty asked.

The driver considered it and slowly nodded. "Yeah, probably so. It'd be slow going, but a horse could make it."

"Then I demand a horse." The man they were all becoming to dislike immensely spoke up imperiously. "As I said, I have business south of here and I need to get there with as much haste as possible."

"Well, I'd like to oblige ya, Mister." Alfred spoke up. "But I only got one riding horse and it's already been spoke for."

"What?" Adam's apple's voice rose and cracked just slightly. "Who? Who bought it? I'll pay you more."

"Nobody bought it." Alfred smiled over at Kitty. "I done give it to the lady there. She's got a need to get to Spring Hill too and her needs a might more pressin' than yours."

Adam's apple's eyes bulged as he glared first at Alfred then Kitty. "NO!" He sputtered. "You… you can't do that."

Kitty was stunned at not only Alfred's generosity but the insight to her need. "Alfred, are you sure?" Kitty asked. "I mean…"

"I don't care what you mean. You can't have it!" Adam's apple spoke up. "I demand that horse!"

Up until that moment, the others in the room had been quietly watching the interactions, not participating. But when the blonde tyrant raised his fist and made a threatening step towards Kitty, the brown coated man with the all too quiet wife beside him, suddenly moved forward, grabbed the blonde by the arm and swung him around, landing a solid blow to his chin. Adam's Apple was down for the count.

"Morris!" He wife exclaimed as he immediately grabbed his fist and rubbed it, pain clearly written on his face. "Darling, are you alright?"

Morris nodded. "I'm fine, Grace." He looked down lovingly at his wife and then smiled at Kitty and Alfred. "I'm sorry, but I just got tired of his mouth."

"We all did." Carl spoke up as he looked down at the man slumped unconscious on the floor. "And if you hadn't a done that, I would've."

"Well, Ma'am." Carl looked over at Kitty. "Your horse is already saddled and waiting outside. You'd best get on your way before he wakes up."

Kitty looked once again at Alfred. "You sure?"

Alfred patted her on the arm with a smiling nod. "Go on." He told her. "Go find him."

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

When Carl had said that travel would be slow going, he had meant it. Though the horse was strong and agile, it still found some spots that were hard to navigate with a rider on his back. Several times, Kitty had to dismount and lead the horse either over an obstacle or around it.

The riding, as well as the walking was hard on her and her strength failed her several times, forcing her to stop and rest. One of those occasions, she fell as she started to dismount and hit the ground hard on her left side. Instantly she felt a sharp pain causing a sharp intake of air. Sitting up, Kitty pulled back her jacket and shirt. She'd scraped her side pretty good and it was bleeding.

But she wasn't about to let that stop her. Getting back up, she rummaged around in her bag and pulled out an old shirt. Tearing it up it into a long strip, she stripped out of her shrit and jacket and then wrapped the cloth around her before redressing and getting on her way again.

Though Alfred and Carl assured her that Spring Hill was only about 15 miles away, Kitty was beginning to think they either misjudged the distance or she'd missed a turn off somewhere when, by late afternoon, she still hadn't made town. But finally, just as the shadows began to grow, she saw it up ahead. A half hour more and she'd be there.

Deciding to play it safe for a while, Kitty tucked her hair firmly under her hat and loosened her jacket a little so her chest and hips weren't quite so well defined. Dismounting just on the edge of town, she made her way to the stable and inside.

"Howdy." A grizzled old man with no teeth and little hair greeted her. "Need your horse took care of?"

Kitty nodded, purposely keeping her head down and deepening her voice as much as she could. "Yeah." She answered as she reached into her pocket to pull out money. "How much?"

"Fifty cents a day." The man answered.

Handing him the money, Kitty looked around as he took the reins of her horse and led him towards the back.

There, in a middle stall, she saw Buck, or at least a horse that looked remarkably like him. Quickly stepping over to him, she ran her hands over the horse's flank. Instantly, Buck turned his head and greeted her with a soft nicker. She wanted right then and there to drape herself over him and weep in relief. If Buck was here, so was Matt.

"Ya lookin' to buy another horse?" The haggard old man had reappeared and noticed her looking at Buck. "Could maybe make ya a good price on that un'."

Kitty frowned and turned back to him. "You… own this horse." She asked.

The man nodded eagerly. "Well, I will, anyways. The man that rode him in here is over to the jail. Got arrested for hitting on old man Payback's oldest. Looks like he's gonna be sent up fer a good long while, soon as the judge gets here."

Kitty turned quickly away and looked back at Buck, afraid he noticed the color come to her face and see the wild beating of her heart. "Um, ya say the owner's in jail?" She asked.

"Yep, like I said." The old man nodded. "And when he's sent off to prison, that there horse'll be mine for the stabling fees he owes me."

Coming to a quick decision, Kitty turned back around. "How much." She asked.

The old man looked like a spider about to consume a fly. "You think you might be interested?"

Kitty nodded. "How much?" She asked again.

"Well…" He paused, taking in the strangers dress and thin appearance, he didn't figure he would have too much money but he might just have… "Twenty five." He said.

She didn't balk or protest the price. One last time, she turned her back to him, pulled out some money from her pocket and counted out twenty five dollars. Turning back, she handed him the money and patted Buck's flank. "I'll be back later to get both my horses." She told him.

The old stableman nodded as Kitty grabbed her bag and then swiftly made her way out of the stable. Scratching his bald head, he frowned. "That's the strangest feller I've seen in a while." He mumbled. "Looked like a girl."

Outside of the stable, Kitty studied her surroundings. She needed a place where she could quickly and privately change her clothes. She spotted it right away. Just to back of a nearby building, was an old shed with the door standing half way open. Watching for several moments, she saw no one going in or out or anywhere near.

Quickly, she made her way to it and stepped inside, closing the door behind her. There was only a small window in the shed on the west wall but as the sun was sinking ever lower, it gave her just enough light to see what she needed to.

A half hour later, the door cracked open and Kitty's well coiffed and made up head, peeked out. No one was around.

Swiftly, she grabbed her bag and left the shed, heading towards the main street of Spring Hill, looking for the jail. She spotted it near the end, on a corner.

Ever cautious, she took another good long look around before hurrying as fast as she could down to the jail. Glancing in through the barred front window, she breathed a sigh of relief to see only one man inside, aside from the prisoner, slumped on a cot in the small cell.

Taking a deep breath, Kitty squared her shoulders, grasped the handle of the door and boldly walked in.

"Good evening." She smiled graciously at the man with the badge sitting behind the small desk with his feet up on it. "My name is Miss Kathleen Dillon. I was told my brother was here."

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

Lying on his cot, eyes closed and devoid of anything even resembling hope, Matt was totally oblivious to the jail door opening or the sound of a woman's footsteps into the room. But no matter how unaware he was of what was going on around him, Matt couldn't miss the sound of her voice or the smell of her perfume as she walked in.

Eye's flying open; Matt sat up and swung his legs off the cot and onto the floor. "Ki…" He couldn't say her name for fear it wasn't her. He had the odd sensation that he was dreaming. It couldn't be Kitty. Could it?

The illusion turned her head and smiled warmly at him. "I'm sorry it took me so long to get here, Matt." She said softly. "But I was sick."

Matt didn't answer. He was afraid if he did, it'd disturb the marvelous dream he was certain he was having.

Kitty turned her attention back to the rumpled, scraggily bearded deputy behind the desk. "Ah, Sherriff…"

"Roscoe," he licked his lips and sat up, nevously running a hand through his dirty hair. "Roscoe Capps, Ma'am. Deputy Sherriff."

Kitty smiled graciously. "Deputy. Would you mind if I spoke to my brother?"

Leeringly, the brown eyed man, with yellow teeth and a scar on his chin, grinned at the pretty woman but didn't move. "Ya sure ya want him?" He snickered. "He's going to prison tomorrow. Me? I'm free, all night long."

Kitty swallowed her disgust and managed to maintain her cool and smile. "Well, Sherriff..."

"Deputy." He corrected her again.

"Yes, of course. Deputy, I… uh, appreciate the offer, but he is my brother and I do at least want to give him a proper goodbye." When the man didn't immediately move, Kitty moved closer and slowly leaned down, giving him a good view of her cleavage. "Please. I'd be ever so grateful." She batted her lashes.

Behind her, Matt had gotten to his feet and stood in amazed silence watching a beautiful ghost come on to the middle aged teenager with a hard on in front of her. It was obvious Kitty not only hadn't died, but she hadn't lost any of her skills either.

The deputy looked at his prisoner and then the pretty lady. It was clear they had a connection but he was still uncertain. He'd heard all about how young Payback had pushed the big man's woman in front of his bullet and got her killed. But he hadn't heard a word about the former US Marshal having a sister. Especially not one that looked like this.

Dropping her eyes just slightly and with a subtle tip of her head, Kitty moved just a little closer to the despicable man and reached out, lightly touching his arm. Her perfume wafted over at him as she batted her lashes again. "Please?" She pleaded coquettishly.

Her touch was his undoing. Reacting to it as though it'd shocked him, he jerked and then nodded. "O… okay. Bu… but don't get to close to the bars. He… he ain't supposed to have no visitors at all. But… but I figure…"

"I understand." Kitty smiled at him again. "I promise, I won't get too close, Sherriff." She paused and gave him a wink, "To my brother anyway."

Roscoe didn't bother to correct her this time as he shakily nodded towards the cell opposite. "Then go ahead."

With a grin, Kitty turned and walked over to the cells, pulling her reticule in front of her, out of Roscoe's sight so she could reach in and palm the derringer she had hidden there. She was pleased he hadn't asked her to leave her handbag with him but then again, Kitty knew men and she'd been pretty sure he wouldn't see anything but what she'd wanted him to see.

Matt swallowed hard when she approached his cell and he reached his arm through the bars to touch her, to determine once and for all if she was real or only the dream of a condemned man. "Kitty?" He whispered.

"Hello, Matt." She smiled and reached out her own hand, with the derringer in it and put it in his palm.

"Hey, you two." Roscoe got up from his desk and moved closer to watch them. "No touching."

Kitty pulled her now empty hand back and smiled demurely over at him. "I'm sorry, Sherriff." She purposely upgraded his title again. "It… it's just been so long since I've seen him and… and…" All of a sudden the red head started swaying and her hand came up to her face. "Oh… oh, I don't feel so good." She moaned as she suddenly dropped to the floor, landing close to the bars.

Roscoe immediately closed the distance between them and bent down close to her. "Ma'am? Ma'am, you alright?"

"She will be." Matt said from right beside him. "But you won't, if you make any sudden moves."

Roscoe froze as he felt something hard and cold pressed to the back of his skull. "Ho… how…"

Kitty opened her eyes just then and pulled herself up. "Didn't think I'd let my brother go to prison, do you?" She smirked as she got to her feet and quickly pulled Roscoe's gun from his holster, handing it through the bars to Matt. "I'll get the keys."

Matt pocketed the derringer and aimed Roscoe's own gun at him. "Get up, Roscoe, put your hands up and stand back against these bars." He demanded. "And don't try anything."

Wide eyed, Roscoe rose from his kneeling position and raised his hands. The gruffness of his prisoner's voice left him no doubt he was serious. "You…" He swallowed hard. "You can't get away with this. We'll be coming after you. We'll..."

He didn't have a chance to finish as Matt raised the gun and hit him hard on the back of his head just as Kitty returned with the keys. "Don't like doing that." He shook his head. "But its better he's out of it for a while."

Kitty ignored the deputy as she unlocked the cell and opened the door. As soon as he stepped out of the cell, Matt grabbed her and pulled her tightly into his arms, laying claim to what he thought he'd lost forever. "Kitty, I…"

"We'll talk about later, Matt." Kitty stopped him as she leaned up and gave him another kiss. "But let's get out of here first, huh?"

A couple of minutes later, Matt cautiously peered out into the now darkened street in front of the jail. No one was there.

They had dragged Roscoe into the cell, tied and gagged him and then locked him in, taking the keys with them. He wouldn't be any problem for a while.

Nodding to Kitty, who swung the door open and stepped out alone. Closing the door behind her, she made sure no one was looking and quickly disappeared down the alley next to the small jail building.

A couple of minutes later, a low whistle could be heard and the jail house door opened again. Matt quickly exited and headed down the same alley, meeting Kitty at the end.

Together they made their way back to the shed Kitty had used earlier and she slipped inside, emerging 10 minutes later, sans dress and makeup and dressed once again in the dirty jeans, shirt and boots of earlier.

Matt followed but remained in the shadows while Kitty went back to the stable, claimed both of the horses and gear and headed out.

"Where to, Matt?" She asked when she got to him and he mounted.

"North." Was Matt's answer as he spurred his horse and they rode away.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

Matt and Kitty rode straight north for the rest of the night, aware that with the recent rains their trail would be clearly marked in the muddy ground once daylight returned. But Matt had an idea of where they could hide and he kept them steadily riding in that direction.

Kitty made not a word of protest, though with each mile, her strength failed more and more. She was exhausted but she knew she couldn't let it stop them.

Finally, just about dawn, Matt reined them in and pointed to a small place just up ahead surrounded by canyons. "I have a friend that lives there." He told her. "He'll take us in and help us."

Kitty nodded. "Let's go." She replied as cheerfully as she could.

Matt turned back and began to lead them in, but no sooner did they reach the gate than a shot rang out and a voice called out. "Stop right there! One more foot onto my property and I'll shoot ya."

"Stay back, Kitty." Matt warned as he took off his hat and waved it twice in the air. "Vern!? Vern Tieg! It's Matt Dillon!" He called to the house.

Almost instantly the front door opened and a man stepped out, waving his own hat into the air and whooping like an Indian. "Who hoo! Come on in, Matt. Come on in!"

"Come on, Kitty." Matt called over his shoulder as he urged Buck forward.

Quickly the two rode down to the house and reined in just in front of a wizened old man who looked to be 100 if he was day.

"Matt?" The old gent grinned showing toothless gums. "Boy, I ain't seen you in a coon's age." He stopped when he looked over at Kitty. "And ya brung yer wife with ya. Why, boy, I'm plum proud of ya. It's about time ya done something right. Well?" He demanded when they continued to sit astride of their horses. "Get yerselves off them critters and come on in."

Matt didn't bother to correct Vern right then. It wasn't important. Instead, he swiftly dismounted and stepped over to Kitty's horse. Reaching up, he grasped her by the waist to help her down. He didn't miss the slight groan that passed her lips as he applied pressure on her sides to pull her down. "You okay?"

Kitty nodded. "I'm fine. Just fine. But don't you think we oughta get those horses out of sight?"

Matt bit the inside of his lip, knowing she was right. "Yeah. Yeah. Vern?" He turned to his friend. "We, uh, need to get these horses put up someplace. Uh, someplace out of sight."

Vern understood. "You all go on inside. I'll take keer of these here." He grabbed the reins of both horses, but paused and pulled Kitty's bag off her horse and handed it to Matt. "Lady's got to have her things."

"Thanks, Vern." Matt gave him a grateful smile as he took the bag and gently took Kitty by the arm, leading her into the house. "Come on, Kitty." He led her to a cushioned chair near the corner fireplace. "Have a seat and I'll get you some water. Vern seldom has any whiskey around."

"I do." Kitty spoke up and she started to rise.

But Matt pushed her back down. "You just sit still. I'll get it. Is it in your bag?"

Kitty nodded; glad she didn't have to get up because she wasn't sure she could.

Matt grabbed the carpet bag and opened it. Inside he found the flasks she'd placed in there, but he also found his gun and two of his shirts. He looked up at her. "Miss me?"

Kitty grinned. "Yeah."

Shaking his head, he walked over to her and handed her the whiskey, settling himself in another chair beside her. "Tell me."

Kitty took a shaky drink of the whiskey and then handed the flask over to him. "Not much to tell." She sighed. "I knew you wouldn't come home until you got Payback and Doc said you left believing I was dying and that it was your fault. I had to find you. I had to let you know that I was okay and that it wasn't your fault. I had to."

Matt took a bracing drink of liquid fire and nodded. "I did think I'd killed you. I thought…" his voice cracked and he looked down. "You weren't dead when I left but I was pretty sure that you were dying and I..."

Kitty reached over and took his hand. "You didn't kill me, Matt. What happened to me wasn't your fault. And as you can see, I'm perfectly alright."

Matt looked up at her with saddened smile. "Well, you're perfect anyway. But I heard you when I pulled you off that horse. You're hurting, aren't you?"

"I'm fine." Kitty answered. She didn't want Matt worrying about her when they had so much else to be concerned with.

"Kitty, don't do that. Don't brush your wellbeing off. You were near death when I left Dodge. Doc wasn't sure you'd make the night. How you survived I don't know but I do know you should be home and in bed. Not rescuing me from jail or riding across country."

Kitty gave him a wry look of amusement. "So you want to me to go home? Now?"

"Yes." Matt answered almost immediately followed by, "No. At least not alone and I can't take you there until after I get Payback."

Kitty's eyes widened. "You're not still planning on going after that man?"

Matt turned his head, refusing to look her in the eyes. That was exactly what he was planning.

"Matt?" She asked again. "Please? You came near to going to prison or worse for trying to take him before. You can't go after him again."

Taking a drink from her flask, Matt got up from her side and walked over to the window opposite the fireplace. "I've got to, Kitty." He finally answered. "Not just for what he did to you but for a whole list of other things including that poster I have on him. He's wanted, Kitty, and it's my job to stop him and bring him in."

"But, Matt…" Kitty paused to rein in her temper and concern. "Matt, this is Payback's home. The town is practically owned by his family. They're not going to let you get close to him."

"They did before." He pointed out.

"Yeah, because they knew they could get you when you went after him." Blue eyes blazed in anger and fear. "Please, Matt. Don't go after him again at least not now and not alone. You could get killed."

"Like you almost were?" Matt retorted as he whirled around to look at her. "Kitty, I have to do this. I have to. Please don't ask me to be less than I am or do less than what I know I have to do."

Kitty shook her head. "I'm not asking that of you." She answered quietly. "You should know me better than that. I'm just asking you to be careful. I came close to dying, Matt. And I went through a hellava lot to get here to you. Please don't make me go home alone. If you do, then Payback really will have killed me."

Matt dropped his head. He did know Kitty and he did know that she loved him, even more than herself. "Alright." He said as he crossed back over to her and knelt down by her chair. "I'll figure something out."

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

"Well, they's a comin." Vern said from his perch near the window. "You two had best make yourselves scarce."

The old man had taken Matt and Kitty's horses and hid them nearby. Since he'd returned, he'd planted himself near the window to keep watch for the riders he knew were coming. Although it had rained some more, since Matt and Kitty had arrived, he knew that wouldn't be enough to completely hide their tracks.

"Vern…" Matt started to protest leaving his friend to deal with these men alone. But the older man shook his head.

"Git." He said sternly. "I can handle the likes of these. Sides, with the rain we had last night, they most likely ain't got any real tracks to point to here. They're just fishing. Now go."

Matt nodded, offering no further protest and clambered down the steps to the cellar below the house. Kitty was already down there.

Swiftly, Vern closed the hatch door, threw the rug back over it and moved a table on top of that. He had no sooner settled down next to the fireplace with a mug of coffee in his hands when he heard them ride up. He made no effort to move though until they practically beat his door down. "I'm coming." He yelled as he took his time getting up and going to the door.

He opened the door to Dolph Payback, the Sherriff and Roscoe, the hapless deputy standing on his doorstep. "Well, what you all want?" He asked gruffly. "Ya look like ya got stung by a pack of bees, especially you." He nodded at Dolph who sported a spectacular array of bruises from his encounter with Matt.

"Where are they, old man?" Dolph ignored his comment as he pushed past Vern and entered his house. "Tracks, they left, lead here."

Vern glared at the younger man's rudeness but held his temper. "I ain't got no idee what you're a talking about. There ain't nobody here but me. I don't get much company out this way and don't much want any. Including yours."

Dolph returned the glare and continued to look around, noting two doors to either side of the fireplace. "What's in there?"

Vern shrugged. "Have yerself a look. I ain't got nothing to hide around here."

Down below the floor, Matt sat rigidly on a crate with Kitty on his lap, holding her tightly to his chest. He knew she was scared by the pounding of her heart next to his, but she hadn't made a sound or a move as they listened to the footsteps and conversation just over their heads.

Dolph looked into both rooms and then returned to the main room. "You got you a cellar, old man?" He asked.

Vern nodded. "Sure do." He answered. "Got me a root cellar just out the back door. Yer welcome to go look. They ain't nothing down there."

"Do it." Dolph looked over at Roscoe who wasted no time in disappearing outside. He was on shaky ground with the Paybacks for letting Dillon and the woman get the best of him and he was looking for any way to appease them.

Vern looked over at the Sherriff with a grin. "Seems to me, I remember hearing who the real law was in these parts. Guess I heard right."

The Sherriff scowled at Vern but didn't move from his spot near the front door. He didn't have young Payback's permission to do so.

Roscoe appeared a few minutes later. "They ain't nothing down there but some potatoes and can goods. He didn't even have any good corn."

"Cain't afford good corn." Vern snapped at him. "Sides, if I could, do you think I'd stash it down in the cellar?"

Just as the last word left his mouth, Vern spotted something that could just get him killed. Kitty's flask was pushed into the cushions of the chair by the fireplace. It wasn't too obvious but it wasn't hidden either. Making no quick moves, Vern moved over to the chair and sat down, hiding the flask with his arm as he invisibly pushed it further into the cushions.

"You all through searching my place? Or should I fix ya some supper?" He asked with a grin, when he was sure the flask was well out of sight.

Payback took another look around the room, seeing nothing, before finally turning for the door. The Sherriff and Roscoe took no time in exiting the cabin ahead of him but Payback paused at the threshold and looked back at Vern. "I find out you know where those two are, I'll come back here and make sure those bees sting you a lot harder than they did me."

Vern answered with a narrowing of his eyes as Payback finally left, slamming the door behind him. Vern didn't move for a long time. Then slowly, he rose from the chair and sauntered over to the window on the north wall and looked out. He saw the three men in the distance riding out and further to the north.

Wasting no more time, he moved the table, threw back the rug and opened the door to the space below the floor. "You can come on out now." He called down to Matt and Kitty. "They's gone."

Quickly, Matt helped Kitty onto the ladder and then followed her up. "You sure?" He asked once he was out of the hole.

Vern nodded. "Yep. They're headed north. Course, I don't figure they'll go too far north." He looked pointedly over at Matt.

"I don't either." Matt agreed. "When they can't find any further tracks that way or any other way, they'll come right back here."

Vern nodded again, this time with a grin. "Yep, only we ain't gonna be here."

Matt glanced at Kitty and then back at Vern. "What are you talking about? Me and Kitty will need to leave but not you."

"Ah, that's where you're wrong my friend." He continued to grin. "I gotta go to show you where it's at."

"Where's what at?" Kitty asked a little confused.

"Oh, you'll see." Vern answered. "You'll see."

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

Kitty rode silently, taking comfort in Matt's nearness and the eerie silence around them. If anyone were to be close, they would be heard before they were seen.

After packing up three bags of supplies as well as blankets and water bottles and anything else he could think of, Vern led Matt and Kitty and two pack mules away from the cabin and west that very evening.

"I got me a feeling them three are coming back." He told Matt. "And I got no desire to be there when they do. They're gonna have a lot more men with them when they do. Sides I got a safer place in mind where we can stay."

They had now been traveling for most of the day into ever darker canyon country. Their pace was brutal and more than once, Matt had made Vern stop when he saw the toll their journey was taking on Kitty. But she always waved him off and refused the lengthy breaks Matt suggested. She was anxious to put as much distance between them and Spring Hill as possible.

Matt was too, but he wasn't willing to risk Kitty's health in order to do it. Finally, after traveling through too many silent canyons and deep gullies, he called them to a stop. "Vern. Hold up there."

Vern, who was several yards ahead, reined in and waited, looking back curiously at Matt as he rode up to him. "What's wrong?"

"We're going to have to stop. Kitty needs to rest." Matt told him, glancing back at the pale red head.

Vern looked as well and agreed. "We're only a little ways from where we're going." He said. "If she can hang on for another hour, we'll be there."

Matt looked at Kitty once again and then back at Vern. "Alright, but if it's any longer than that, then we stop regardless. She's denying it, but I thinks she hurt or sick or something."

"It won't be any longer." Vern told him as he kicked his horse's flanks and started off again.

Glancing back at Kitty, Matt certainly hoped so.

When Kitty caught up to him, she arched her brow at him. "You were trying to get him to take another break, weren't you?"

Matt saw no need to lie. She'd know the truth regardless. "Yes, I was. You're pale, Kitty and you look like you're about to fall off that horse."

"Well, I'm not." Kitty answered unconvincingly. "I'm fine, Matt. Honestly."

Matt shook his head at her. "Would you believe me, if I said that?"

Kitty chuckled. "Nope." She answered as she steered horse on down the path, following Vern, earning an eye roll and a head shake from Matt.

True to his word, Vern reined in about an hour later. "We're here." He told them.

Matt and Kitty looked about them in amazement. They were in a deep canyon with high rock walls all around them. On one side was a broad and what looked like, deep cave. On the other, was a stream that meandered through the area and disappeared beyond the rocks.

"Where are we?" Matt asked.

"It's called Crawfish Canyon." Vern told them. "And that there creek is called…"

"Crawfish Creek." Matt finished for him with a grin.

"Yeah." Vern answered a little miffed at being trumped by the younger man. "Indians used to use this place. That there cave will be plenty good enough to camp in and we'll be safe here. From up there on that bluff," he pointed up to a ridge on their left, "you can see for miles around. Payback nor nobody else 'll be able to get close to us."

Matt shrugged. "Well, it's a good setup and Kitty will be a lot safer here."

Kitty shot him a look. " _ **I**_ will be? What about you?" Then it dawned on her. "No, Matt. NO! You cannot go back to Spring Hill. You can't. You promised."

Matt shook his head as he dismounted his horse and walked over to her. Reaching up, he placed his hands around her waist to help her down but she slapped them away.

"Leave me alone." She warned.

"Kitty." Matt ignored her tone and her warning and carefully pulled her from the horse anyway, once again hearing a low groan of discomfort. All thoughts of arguing with her were gone. "How bad?" He asked anxiously.

"Not bad." She lied. "It just hurts a little."

"Uh, huh." Matt shook his head unconvinced. "Come on. I want to have a look."

"No, Matt." Kitty pulled back from him. Not only did she not want him to see her side, but she also didn't want him to avoid the conversation they were bound to have about his returning to find Payback. "Not till you keep your promise to me about not going back there."

Matt reached out a hand for her anyway and she backed out of his reach. "Kitty. You're hurting. Right now, that's more important than anything else. Now, please."

He took a step towards her, which she followed up with another step backwards. But she didn't see the rock behind her and she tripped, falling heavily to the ground. "Ouch." She grabbed her side knowing she'd done more damage to her side.

Instantly Matt bent over her and swooped her up into his arms, carrying her into the cave. Vern, who'd seen what had happened, was right behind him with a couple of blankets and a water bottle. Holding her tightly until Vern spread out the blankets, Matt looked down at the pain on her face. Softly brushing a kiss across her forehead, he nodded to Vern when the blankets were rolled out and laid her down.

"I… uh, I'll be outside." Vern said and quickly disappeared.

Matt merely glanced at him as he returned his focus to Kitty. Gently pulling her blouse back, he looked at the torn and bloody bandage she had wrapped acround her. His eyes met hers and he didn't have to ask.

"Don't." Kitty told him as she reached and grabbed his hand. "Don't say it. It's not that bad, just a scrape on a rock. I had to find you."

"At the cost of your own life?" He snapped at her without meaning to. "Kitty, you… you…"

"I'll be alright, Matt." She tugged on his hand. "As long as you're with me, I'll be alright."

Matt closed his eyes and dropped his head. His heart was torn. He wouldn't, couldn't leave her alone when she was hurt, even with Vern there to keep watch over her. And yet, he still had an almost primal need to go after Dolph Payback and either bring him to justice or kill him. Looking down at Kitty's pale features, he thought killing him was preferable.

"Matt?" She pleaded. "Please?"

Matt sighed deeply and raised his head, his eyes once again meeting hers. "I'm not going anywhere." He said as he reached over and kissed her. 'At least not right now.' He added silently.

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

Matt emerged from the cave a couple of hours later to find Vern sitting by a campfire he'd set up with a rifle on his lap and a cup of coffee in his hand. "Got any more of that?"

Vern nodded and handed him a cup, then poured coffee into it. "How's your woman?" Vern asked.

"She's resting." Matt answered. "She was wounded a while back and I'm not sure she was completely healed when she came after me. Then she fell on some rocks yesterday and hurt her side. But it's not too bad and so far it's not infected. I think if we can keep her down and keep that wound clean, she'll be alright."

"We?" Vern looked over him with narrowed eyes.

Matt took a deep breath and nodded. "Yeah, 'we'. At least for right now. I can't go off and leave her here and her hurt like she is."

"What about Payback?" Vern studied the big man across from him. The darkness of night and high walls around them made it hard to see anything too clearly, but Vern didn't need much more than the firelight to see the anger on Matt's face and the stiffness of his posture, when Payback's name was mentioned.

"I'm not done with him yet." Matt answered in an icy tone. "His past has proven he won't stay in his own backyard forever. Sooner or later he'll roam again and when he does, I'll be there."

"And her?" Vern jerked his head towards the cave.

"She'll be home and safe by that time." Matt answered. "I'll make sure she's taken care of before I do anything else."

Vern shook his head. "Boy, you ain't got enough sense to get in out of the rain by yourself. That woman don't want revenge. She don't care a whit what happens to Payback. She cares about you. You taking her home and leaving her won't help none. She's already proved that she'll come after ya, hurt or not."

Matt took a sip of his coffee but didn't reply. Vern was right. Kitty would come after him, if she knew where he was, and if not, she'd drive herself crazy, either trying to find him or worrying about him.

When Vern saw Matt wasn't going to reply, he leaned back and let out a long sigh. "Welllll….. They's another way to fix both your problems but it sure wouldn't be easy."

Matt's head jerked up. "What are you talking about?"

Vern grinned. "Whilst you was taking care of your lady, I was thinking about this situation here. Now, it'd be plumb foolish were you to go back into Spring Hill after young Payback, they'd have ya dead afore you got completely into the town."

Matt nodded, shifting his position and stretching out his long legs before him. "I know it. I was lucky they didn't kill me before."

"Not really." Vern looked over at him. "More coffee?" He picked up the pot and refilled his own cup then held out the pot to Matt.

"No, thanks." Matt answered with a frown. "And what do you mean not really? It's pretty plain they want me dead."

"Yep." Vern agreed. "But on their own terms. They want your death to be a legal one."

Matt's frown deepened. "A legal one?"

Vern sat up slightly. "Back in Dodge, Dolph might've been able to shoot you in the back or maybe anywhere out on the prairie. But he didn't, cause it wouldn't be legal and it'd just grow your reputation and put a target on his back. He wanted you to hurt some and then he wanted you to come to him so's he could get you here on his own home grounds."

Matt took a deep breath. "Well, it worked as he wanted it to. Or at least it almost did. Only they weren't going to kill me they were going to send me to prison for a long time. If Kitty hadn't of gotten me out of that jail…"

"You'd been shot trying to escape." Vern finished for him. "Like I said, they want you dead but they want to destroy more than your body. They want to destroy your reputation too. If you get throw'd in prison for attempted murder and then shot trying to escape, ain't no body'd be able to say your name without it leaving a bad taste in their mouth."

Understanding dawned on the lawman and he shook his head. "Guess I didn't think about that. I wasn't thinking about too much of anything, to tell you the truth, other than…"

"Her." Vern finished for him again. "I understand boy. I ain't been an old man all my life, ya know? I had me a real pretty filly once. Skin smooth as silk and eyes so clear you could read through em. And loving? Lordy, that girl could love. I'd come home after a long trip or something and she'd be there; smile bright enough to light the world and kind words that took all the meanness out of me. When her soft hands began to touch me…" He paused obviously lost in his thoughts for a moment.

Matt understood. That was how he felt about Kitty. "What happened to her?" He finally asked when Vern continued in his silence.

"Died." Vern answered in a quiet mournful voice as he stared down at the fire. "Took the ague and couldn't get over it. I never looked soft at no woman after that cause I kept seeing my Ginny's face." Vern finally raised his head and met Matt's gaze. "Something happens to that girl in there, you're life ain't gonna be worth nothing, Matt, and you know it. But if something were to happen to you, neither would hers. You best remember you two are a matched set."

Matt nodded. "You said you had an idea?"

Vern shrugged. "Won't be easy." He warned.

"Nothing ever is." Matt replied,

Quietly, Matt sat beside Kitty, watching her sleep early the next morning. Her temperature had spiked a couple of times, but sips of cool water and a cool clothe to her forehead had brought it back down. So far it was still down but he just hoped it stayed that way, at least until he could return.

He knew Vern would be with her and Vern wasn't totally ignorant when it came to tending to sick people, but he wouldn't really be comfortable unless he was caring for her himself, or Doc was. But Doc was in Dodge, a long way aways and he had to leave.

"Matt." Vern called softly from the mouth of the cavern.

Pressing a tender kiss to her flushed lips, Matt reluctantly got up and made his way out to where Vern stood, holding the reins of his horse. "Best not tarry, boy." Vern told him, handing him the lines. "Do what you got to and then get on back here. She'll be waiting."

Matt nodded and grabbed his saddle horn, hooking his left foot in the stirrup and easily swinging himself up. Looking quickly at the cave, Matt returned his gaze to Vern. "Take care of her."

"You ain't got no worries there." Vern assured him.

Afraid to look back, afraid he might falter if he did, Matt quickly kicked his shins against Buck and started off.

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

As soon as Matt was out of sight, Vern pulled a small cloth pouch from his saddle bags and poured some of the contents into a cup, adding water and then stirring it with his finger. Quickly, he made his way into the cave and back to where Kitty was laying.

She was still asleep but she wouldn't remain that way without help. The contents of the pouch, herbs and such he'd learned about from an old medicine man he once knew, would ensure that she would sleep.

He hated doing it. She was a nice woman and she'd done nothing wrong. But he had to take care of her the way he took care of Matt. This way, Matt's reputation would remain in tact, maybe even get bigger and she'd never know of his death or her own coming one. He figured it the least he could do for his friend and his friend's woman.

The stuff in the cup wasn't strong enough to finish her off, at least not just one cup full, but it'd keep her asleep for a long while and when she woke, he'd give her more. She'd die out here, but at least she wouldn't suffer like she would if Payback got to her. Hopefully, she'd pass without waking at all.

Sighing mournfully, he sat down beside her, holding the cup. For a moment or two he hesitated. It wasn't too late. He could pack her up and get out of this lonesome place. But he wouldn't. He'd brought them here precisely because it was lonesome. When what ever happened, happened, it'd be far from his place. And, to his way of thinking, he'd have only an indirect hand in their deaths. That's how he wanted it and how he intended for it to be.

Gently, he shook her awake. "Miss? Miss?"

Kitty opened her eyes and looked up to see the whethered face of Matt's friend leaning over her. "What? Where's Ma…"

"Matt's outside, tending to personal business." He lied. "He asked I give ya something to drink. Make ya feel better."

Kitty shook her head. "No, I…"

"Aw, come on, now. Matt'd be rightly disappointed. Here." He carefully lifted her head and put the cup to her lips, not stopping until she'd consumed the entire amount. "Good." He breathed a sigh of relief. "Now you just lie back there and rest and everything's going to be fine."

"What about Matt?" She questioned already feeling sleepy.

"He's just outside, tending to personal business. He'll be back in a little bit. Now you just lay back there and rest."

With a slight nod, Kitty closed her eyes and in no time, was back to sleep.

Vern watched her for several moments before finally getting to his feet. Taking one last regretful look at her, Vern headed back outside to sit and wait.

** (*(*(*(*(*M&K*)*)*)*)*) **

The place was quiet when Matt rode in. Not so much as a dog barking or the call of a bird. But Matt wasn't fooled. He knew eyes and probably more than one gun had been on him since he'd topped the ridge overlooking the small valley below. But he gave no indication of that knowledge or allowed even the tiniest hint of fear to show.

As he rode down the slope towards the three squat buildings below, Matt was careful to keep his hand from his gun and his attention focused on his surroundings. He was heading into extremely dangerous territory and he could ill afford to take any chances or be distracted in any way.

To that latter thought, he carefully tucked Kitty and her health into the far reaches of his mind where she would be safe and he could concentrate on what he needed to do.

"Hello, the place!" Matt called as he finally neared the largest of the three buildings.

Instantly the door swung open and a man stepped out, rifle raised and a hard questioning look on his bearded face. "What do you want here?" The man growled in a low, gravelly voice.

Matt studied the man for a moment, before replying, as he mentally went over the posters in his office. Yep, this man was on one of them. Of medium height, with short dark hair, beard but no mustache, a scar across his neck and half of his right ear missing, Matt recognized him as being Culver Hanley. Wanted for murder and robbery just about everywhere but Kansas.

"My name's Matt Dillon." Matt answered. There was no need to hide his identity.

Hanley squinted an eye in thought and then looked back up at Matt. "I heard a you. But you're Kansas law. I ain't wanted for nothing in Kansas." He paused as something resembling a chuckle erupted from his damaged vocal cords. "Not that it would matter. You were stupid to ride in here, Dillon. We ain't got no love for the law around here and you ain't gonna live to ride out."

Matt showed him no fear and ignored his obvious threat. "I came to ask you for some help." Matt answered calmly as he stoically sat atop his horse. "I came down here to get a man and I can't do it alone. I was told you might pitch in with me."

Hanley's chuckle turned into a full-fledged laugh causing several men to spill out into the yard from various hidden places and look at the scene curiously.

"Culver?" One of the men, a tall gaunt man with thinning blond hair and a missing front tooth, walked towards them with his rifle up and aimed at Matt. "Who's he?"

Hanley looked at his approaching comrade with a look of sheer amusement. "He's a lawman out of Kansas. Name's Dillon." He snorted. "What do you think about that, Bode? We got us Kansas law here wanting help. From us!" Hanley broke back out into laughter followed by the other 6 men who'd gathered around him.

As Matt sat stoically and expressionless before them, all of them stood laughing, gaining enjoyment from his predicament. All but the thin man named Bode.

"You really Dillon?" He asked, taking a step closer to the big man on the horse and peering up into his face. "Matt Dillon out of Dodge City?"

"That's right." Matt answered. Seeing the serious expression on the outlaw's face he expected the man to pull his gun right then and fire.

But instead Bode reached up and stuck his hand out. "I'm glad to meet you, Dillon." He smiled warmly. "Get down, and come on in. Tell us what you need."

Instantly the other men's mirth dried up and Hanley approached. "What the…? Bode? Didn't you hear what I said? He's a lawman. We need to be shooting him instead of helping him. We're outlaws in case you've forgotten that. We eat lawmen for breakfast."

"Not this one." Bode turned around and looked around at the gruff men behind him. "You all get something straight. I run this outfit and I decide who does what. Now, Dillon's my guest here. You understand? He stays and we help if we can. So shut up and get out of the way. Mosey?" He turned to a short young red haired boy standing near a hitch rail. "Take care of his horse."

"Come on in, Dillon." Bode told him as he turned and headed for the house. "Let's talk."

TBC


	14. Chapter 14

Kitty woke a day and a half later, head aching and stomach severely upset. She had come to a couple of times prior and each time, Vern had given her more water to drink, insisting she drain the cup. Too weak to offer much protest she had complied and had gone back to sleep. The last time it occurred to her that Vern must be drugging her but the potent concoction in the cup had taken effect before she could much more than consider it.

But she promised herself that no matter what, she would not drink any more of his water and she would remain awake this time. She needed to see Matt.

Painfully, she pried her eyes open to see Vern sitting beside her. "Vern?" She grimaced as she tried to sit up. "Where's Matt?"

"He ain't here." Vern answered, a hint of sadness in his voice. "He's gone and he ain't comin' back."

Pushing the pain and nausea aside, Kitty began to struggle to get up. "What are you talking about? What happened to Matt? Where is he?"

"He's dead, most likely." Another voice answered as a man walked into the cave and stood at her feet, staring down at her. "Or at least if he ain't, he will be."

Kitty looked up at the man in front of her. His voice was familiar but she didn't recognize him. There were three other men with him, gunslingers by the looks of them. They didn't look familiar either.

Then it dawned on her and she angrily turned her head and glared at Vern. "You betrayed him." She accused. "You betrayed a man you called friend." She couldn't hide the anguish in her voice. "Why?"

"Because," Vern answered, refusing to look at her. "I got to live here. I ain't got no place else to go. You do. You don't have to stay here."

At that, Dolph laughed. "Oh, yes she does. Permanently."

Kitty looked up at him with a glare. "What are you talking about?"

Dolph quickly bent down next to her and grabbed her arm with a wicked grin. "I mean, once I get through with you, I'm gonna kill you and plant ya here."

Vern jerked his head up and gave Dolph a confused look. "Wait a minute." He protested. "You cain't do nothing like that. She ain't done nothing. I got rid of Dillon for ya. I sent him to Bode and his gang. They'll take care of him and she's no threat. She's weak. Just leave her. She won't be able to walk out of here. You ain't got to hurt her."

"What'd ya think I was gonna do, old man, when ya left that note telling me where you all would be?" Dolph cast a glare in Vern's direction before turning his attention back to Kitty. "Ya think I was just gonna leave it alone? Leave her alone?" He chuckled mirthlessly. "Now, Bode and his gang probably already has Dillon laid out. That just leaves me with her. And I figure on getting something for my troubles from her before she's planted next to her man."

"No." Vern protested as Dolph forcefully pulled the weakened red head to her feet and into his grasp. "You cain't. That ain't right." He cried out, trying, too late, to stop what he had already set in motion by his treachery. "I just told ya where I was taking em so you'd know they was took care of and you'd quit. I wanted you to know they wouldn't ever bother ya again. That's all. Didn't ya see that there note I left that I was gonna take care of them? Didn't ya?"

But Dolph pushed him back. "Get away old man." He warned. "I saw it. And I trusted you would, but that didn't mean I wasn't coming here to make sure things was finished. Her man killed my brother and come damn near close to killing me. Him dying at someone else's hands ain't enough. But her... I just might feel better once I finish with her."

As weak as she was, Kitty valiantly tried to free herself from his clutches as she brought a hand up and scratched his face as well as kicked him. With a roar, Dolph back handed her to the floor of the cave and then instantly reached down for her. "You're gonna pay for that." He snarled. Once again grabbing her arm, he drug her from the cave and out into the midday sunlight.

"Leave her alone." A low, feral and thoroughly infuriated voice called. "You touch her again and you'll be dead before you can take another breath."

Everyone froze and all eyes turned to see Matt sitting astride Buck near the entrance of the cave with his gun drawn and a fierce look on his face. Bode and several other men were right behind him. "Let her go, Payback." His voice was demanding and full of warning.

But Payback pulled Kitty even closer by her right arm and tightened his grip as he moved back to the mouth of the cave, his men right beside him as they took shelter and pulled their guns.

Matt, Bode and his men, abandoned their horses and took cover in the surrounding rocks.

"Payback!" Matt yelled again. "Let her go!" He had been stunned and then infuriated when he rode in to see Payback dragging Kitty out of the cave. He didn't know where Vern was, or how Payback had found them, but right then it didn't matter. He'd sort that out after he got Kitty free. Trouble was, Payback wasn't too inclined to let her loose.

"Dolph?" One of the men with Payback hissed. "I thought he was dead. You said Bode'd kill him. But Bode's with him."

"I know." Dolph growled. "I got eyes. But he ain't gonna do nothing as long as I got red here. Now, is he?" He looked down at Kitty.

She was as confused as could be. She'd been asleep when Dolph had rode into the canyon Vern had told him they would be in. And she knew nothing about the fact that Bode had a little sister that Matt had saved one time from a cruel and violent buffalo skinner and so felt he owed the lawman a debt. She had no idea that Vern had told Matt that Bode would help when he really expected Bode would kill him.

She only knew that if she didn't get away from the odious man who so cruelly pinned her against him, she would most probably die and Matt as well, while trying to save her. She couldn't let that happen.

Taking a deep breath, Kitty raised her left elbow and her left leg and simultaneously jabbed him in the ribs as well as kicked him. The second he let go, she took the last of her strength and darted forward.

A second later, a shot rang out and she fell, senseless, to the canyon floor.

Matt saw her run out and saw her fall. Without thinking, he immediately began to run forward, straight into a hail of gunfire from Payback and his men. He too fell. The last thing he saw before his eyes closed was the image of Kitty lying motionless on the canyon floor and Dolph Payback steadily advancing on her, gun raised and about to fire.

TBC


	15. Chapter 15

Matt awoke to a thundering headache and soft hands gently brushing his hair away from his face. Opening his eyes, he at first thought he was dreaming. He hadn't really come to. He was lying in Kitty's lap and she was looking tenderly down at him.

"You know, Cowboy." She grinned when she saw he was awake and alert. "I'm not sure if we're the luckiest two people on earth or the unluckiest but we sure are something."

"Kitty?" His tone and his expression clearly betrayed his surprise at finding that not only had he survived but that she had too. "You're alive? You're okay?"

Kitty nodded. "Um, hum. A little worse for wear but I'll be alright. I think you will be too. You got a bad bump on your head but no bullet holes, thank God."

Matt pulled himself up into a sitting position and looked around him then back to Kitty. "What happened?"

"Several things." Kitty answered with a touch of amusement. "Where do you want me to start?"

Matt thought for a moment and then looked back at Kitty. "You'd better start at the beginning."

"Lay back down, Cowboy." Kitty shook her head. "This is a doozy."

Though Matt refused to lie back down, he did sit quietly as Kitty explained to him that his going to find Bode had been a set up concocted by Vern in order to protect himself. He knew Payback would return to his place and he knew Payback would never leave him alone if he didn't do something.

So before leaving his cabin, he had left a note for Dolph Payback explaining where they were and that Matt and Kitty would be taken care of. He had sent Matt to Bode and his gang, thinking they would kill him, thereby absolving Vern of that task and depriving Payback of that much pleasure.

But Vern hadn't thought it completely through and hadn't thought of what Payback would do to Kitty when he was deprived of the ability to kill Matt. When Kitty had managed to break free of Payback, she had only taken a couple of steps forward when she stumbled and fell, knocking the breath out of her.

Matt, in his rush to get her failed to pay heed to his surrounding terrain and he too tripped and fell, hitting his head and knocking himself unconscious. Every shot aimed at him, and there were quite a few, failed to make its mark.

Vern, who had stood by and watched the whole thing, saw Payback approaching Kitty and knew he was about to kill her. With the last of his failed courage, he raised his gun and shot the man in the chest. Payback, with the very last of his ability, returned fire and managed to kill Vern as he was himself dying.

Seeing their boss getting shot, was enough to convince Payback's men that they should try and get away, but they forgot about Bode and his men. As soon as they emerged from the cave, the outlaws, turned temporary good guys, were on them and they soon had the men surrounded.

Payback was wrapped in a blanket and laid to the side. Bode declared it more than he deserved for trying to kill a woman.

Vern, they buried, as best they could, covering him with rocks and making sure the scavengers couldn't get at him.

Matt looked around him in amazement as Kitty talked. He saw Payback's body, but there didn't seem to be anyone else around. "Where's Bode?"

"He left." Kitty told him. "He made sure we were alright and just rode out, taking Payback's men with him. He didn't say what he was going to do with them and to be honest, I'm not sure I wanted to know. He did say to tell you the debt was paid. Not sure what that means."

Matt nodded. "It means we need to get out of here as quickly as we can." Matt said, struggling to his feet with Kitty's help. "Bode helped me once for a debt he thought he owed. But with that debt paid, all bets are off. We won't be safe here anymore."

"Where do we go to?" Kitty asked. "Surely not back to Spring Hill."

Matt shook his head as he pulled her to him and gave her a hug. "No. There was only man there that Kansas and I had any interest in and he's lying over there. Texas can have everyone else. We're heading home. I imagine Doc's about ready to call out the militia to look for us."

Kitty grinned. "I don't doubt it. He's going to be mighty mad at me when we do get home. He didn't even want me to go back to the Long Branch much less come after you."

Matt stopped and looked down at her. "You shouldn't have come after me, Kitty. You know that don't you? You could've gotten yourself killed, you almost did get yourself killed and I…"

"Matt."

"Kitty, it wasn't safe for you to do…"

"Matt."

"what you did. Anything could've happened and…"

Kitty could see he wasn't hearing her as he got all worked up with worry. But she had one way of stopping him.

Suddenly pushing up against him, she grabbed his head and pulled it down to hers, clamping her mouth over his until he relaxed into the kiss. "There," she said when their lips finally parted. "That's better."

Matt shook his head with a grin. "Yes, Ma'am."

The trip home was less adventurous but a lot more relaxing as they took their time returning. Since Matt had turned in his badge, he didn't have to rush to return to his job, and Kitty knew Sam would take care of the Long Branch. The only ones they concerned themselves with were each other.

"I'm going to miss this." Kitty sighed, their last night on the trail.

Matt looked at her quizzically. "You'll miss riding from sunup to sundown and not having a bath?"

Kitty gave him a look. "You know what I mean. I'm gonna miss this. Us. Just of the two of us together without a saloon or a badge or anything else to keep us apart."

Matt nodded thoughtfully. "It has been nice." He agreed. "But we can't live on nothing, you know. Eventually we have to go home."

Kitty nodded with just a touch of sadness. "I know. I just wish we could have a little more time, is all."

Matt, who'd been placing some dry tender on the fire, stopped and moved over to her. "Kitty…"

"Don't, Matt." She stopped him. "I know how you feel about your badge. And I know you're anxious to get back to it and I would never deprive you of what you love but…"

"I love you." Matt said, almost sternly. "But I do have a responsibility to my oath as a lawman and as long as I'm able, I need to live up to that responsibility."

Kitty nodded. "I know, Matt. I just wish sometimes that…" She stopped and turned away. They'd had this conversation way too many times since they'd gotten together and it never went anywhere. Besides, she had accepted the way things were long ago and it was too late to change now.

Matt pulled her into his arms and hugged her close. "I do too, sometimes." He said quietly. "I do too."

They arrived in Dodge late evening the following day.

Doc, as they had expected when they checked in with him, was fit to be tied. He ordered the both of them to sit down so that he could examine them and by the look on his face, they thought it best to comply.

After a thorough exam and several stern warnings as well a demand that Kitty, at least, go get a bath and then go to bed immediately, Doc finally told them he was glad to see them back. He didn't tell them how glad, but he didn't need to. They knew.

"Come on, Kitty." Matt grinned over at her. "I'll walk you over to the Long Branch."

When they reached the saloon, Matt paused outside the doors and gently took Kitty's arm. "You do what Doc told you, now. Go on up and get a bath and get to bed."

Kitty arched a brow and looked around her, tongue literally in cheek. "Alone?"

Matt grinned and took his own look around. The streets were deserted so he took the opportunity to pull her into his arms. "For now. I have to check in at the jail and send off a wire resending my resignation and get cleaned up and let the replacement Marshal know I'm back."

"Why?" She challenged. "I've got a pretty big bath tub and I know we'll both fit. As for the rest of it, it's not urgent, is it?"

"Well," Matt shrugged. "No, but, well, I mean…"

"Listen, Cowboy." Kitty got a little closer to him. "Dodge has done pretty well without either of us for a few weeks now. Don't you think they could survive till tomorrow morning?"

Matt took one more look around and then brought his gaze back to Kitty. "Guess they could." He grinned.

As the two turned and made their way towards the back staircase, an older, gray haired man stood at his window and grinned as he watched them headed upstairs. His children were home and they were well and they were safe. Dodge City would be right again.

The End


End file.
